Slide tray

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and methods for loading a tray containing a plurality of slides into an imaging system, and for verifying the alignment and orientation of the tray in the imaging system. A plurality of retainers secures the slides in recesses defined by the tray. An aligning projection on the tray interacts with an alignment component on the imaging system to verify the alignment and orientation of the tray in the imaging system and to disable the system if it cannot do so.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to methods and devices for in imaging specimen slides, and more particularly, to devices and methods for loading a tray containing a plurality of slides into an imaging system, and for verifying the alignment and orientation of the tray in the imaging system.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Various devices have been used to store glass slides, such as microscope and patient test slides. One known storage receptacle is a cardboard folder with recesses configured to hold slides. These folders have two flaps, which cover the recesses and hold the slides in place. These folders are typically used for archiving slides and also allow individual slides to be located with relative ease.

Another known storage receptacle is a slide cassette. A cassette typically includes a pair of fingers or support members with retaining members that extend from the cassette and below a slot. A slide is loaded into a slot and onto a pair of fingers. Each slot receives a single slide. The dimensions of a slot are typically larger than the dimensions of a slide so that the slide can be easily inserted into and removed from the slot.

Slide cassettes are often used with automated or semi-automated imaging systems. Automated or semi-automated imaging systems use robotic actuators or other devices to remove a slide from the cassette, process the slide or specimen, and return the slide into the cassette. For example, one device may acquire a slide from a cassette and position it beneath a microscope or other device so that a cytotechnologist can analyze the sample for cancer and other medical conditions. More specifically, the imaging system grasps the slide, lifts it above the retaining members of the fingers, removes the slide from the fingers and the slot, and positions the slide beneath the microscope or vision system. The imaging system re-inserts the slide into the cassette after the analysis is completed.

Transferring slides from the folders, in which they are stored, to cassettes, from which they are automatically loaded into slide imagers, is typically done by hand. Manual loading of slides, however, is time consuming and may lead to improper positioning of slides in cassettes. For example, a slide may not rest flat on the fingers. Instead, the slide may only partially clear one of the fingers and come to rest at an angle. Further, the slide can be inserted upside down so that the surface with a specimen sample is facing downward, whereas other slides may have their specimen samples facing upward. Further, slides can be twisted around. In other words, the slide may be inadvertently rotated 180 degrees. This may present a problem when, for example, a bar code or other data is present on one end of a slide.

Slides that are improperly positioned may also be broken by equipment that is programmed to select slides since the equipment is typically configured to select or re-insert a slide that is oriented in a particular manner. Thus, equipment errors and broken slides may result from misplaced slides. These errors may also result in system downtime while a cytotechnologist or technician is forced to examine the cassette and rearrange misplaced slides or replace broken slides.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, a tray for use with a slide imaging system, comprises a retainer and an aligning member, both disposed on a planar member. The planar member defines a recess for receiving a slide. The retainer secures the slide in the recess, and the aligning member enables an alignment and an orientation of the planar member in the slide imaging system to be verified.

In various embodiments, the retainer may be a leaf spring made from a resilient material or a planar cover configured to hold the slide on the planar member by compression. The retainer may be manually engaged, or it may be engaged by application of a cover to the planar member or insertion of the planar member into the slide imaging system.

In one embodiment, the aligning member is asymmetrically disposed on the planar member. In various embodiments, the aligning member may be a reflective marking, a projection, or a depression. Generally, the aligning member is configured to interact with the slide imaging system to verify the alignment and the orientation of the planar member, and to disable the slide imaging system if it cannot do so.

In one embodiment, the planar member defines an aperture, which provides a path through which light can pass to the slide disposed on the planar member. In another embodiment, the planar member defines a receptacle for receiving an aligning member disposed on a second tray, when the second tray is stacked on top of the tray.

In one embodiment, the tray comprises a plurality of retainers, which secure a plurality of slides into a plurality of recesses defined by the planar member. The tray may further comprise an actuator, wherein the actuator engages the plurality of retainers.

In accordance with another embodiment, a slide imaging system is provided with a light source, a stage disposed adjacent to the light source, one or more optical elements disposed adjacent to the stage, a tray holder disposed on the stage, and a slide tray affixed to the stage by the tray holder. The tray includes a retainer and an aligning member, both disposed on a planar member. The planar member defines a recess for receiving a slide. The retainer secures the slide in the recess, and the aligning member enables an alignment and an orientation of the planar member in the slide imaging system to be verified. The system may further comprise an enclosure surrounding the system.

The system may further comprise an alignment component, where the alignment component interacts with the aligning member to verify the alignment and the orientation of the slide tray on the stage, and to disable the slide imaging system if it cannot do so. In various embodiments, the alignment component may include an optical sensor, a switch, an electromechanical switch, or a light beam projector.

In yet another embodiment, a method of loading slides into an imaging system includes loading slides into a tray, retaining the slides on the tray with a resilient retainer, loading the tray into the imaging system, and verifying an alignment and an orientation of the slide tray in the slide imaging system by placing an aligning member disposed on the tray in proximity to an alignment component disposed on the imaging system. The method may further comprise disabling the system if the system cannot verify the alignment and the orientation of the tray in the imaging system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to better understand and appreciate the invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments thereof. In the drawings, similar elements are referred to by common reference numerals, and:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a slide tray for loading a plurality of slides into a slide imaging system while verifying the alignment and orientation of the slides;

FIGS. 2A-B are detailed perspective views of the slide tray of FIG. 1, showing an individual recess without and with a slide loaded therein, respectively;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a slide tray, according to another embodiment, for loading a plurality of slides into a slide imaging system while verifying the alignment and orientation of the slides;

FIGS. 4A-B are detailed perspective views of the slide tray of FIG. 3 showing an individual recess without and with the retainer activated, respectively;

FIG. 5 is a detailed perspective view of a slide tray, according to another embodiment, for loading a plurality of slides into a slide imaging system while verifying the alignment and orientation of the slides;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cover for use with the slide tray of FIG. 5;

FIGS. 7A-B are detailed perspective views of a slide tray, according to another embodiment, for loading a plurality of slides into a slide imaging system while verifying the alignment and orientation of the slides;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a slide imaging system configured for use with a slide tray for loading a plurality of slides into a slide imaging system while verifying the alignment and orientation of the slides, with the front of the enclosure cut away;

FIG. 9 is a side view of a slide imaging system of FIG. 8, with the side of the enclosure cut away;

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view through the line x-x in FIG. 8;

FIGS. 11A-B are detailed cross sectional views through the line x-x in FIG. 8;

FIGS. 12A-C are detailed cross sectional views through the line x-x in FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view through the line x-x in FIG. 8, showing a slide tray and alignment component according to another embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view through the line x-x in FIG. 8, showing a slide tray and alignment component according to another embodiment; and

FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view through the line x-x in FIG. 8, showing a slide tray and alignment component according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

In the following description of the illustrated embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the drawings and specific components thereof are not necessarily to scale, and that various structural changes may be made without departing from the scope or nature of the various embodiments.

A slide tray and system are disclosed for storing slides and loading slides into a slide imaging system without manually transferring slides from a tray to a cassette. The tray includes recesses that are sized for holding a slide and leaf spring retainers in each recess that hold the slide in place through a friction fit mechanism. The tray also includes an aligning member, which is asymmetrically disposed on the bottom of the tray and interacts with an alignment component on the slide imaging system to verify the alignment and orientation of the tray in the imaging system. If the system cannot verify the alignment and orientation of the tray, the system is disabled. If the system verifies the alignment and orientation of the tray, the system is enabled. Additional details regarding the tray components and their operation follow.

Referring to FIG. 1, a slide tray 100 according to one embodiment includes a planar member 101 with a plurality of recesses 102 and a plurality of leaf spring retainers 104 disposed therein, extending from an inner surface 103. The leaf spring retainers 104 secure slides 106 onto the slide tray 100 and, through a friction fit mechanism, prevent the slides 106 from falling out of the tray 100 or shifting within the recesses 102 when the tray 100 is moved. The slide tray 100 shown in FIG. 1 has two columns of ten recesses 102 and can hold up to twenty slides 106. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that other numbers and arrangements of slides and slide trays can be used with different embodiments. Thus, the two by ten arrangement is shown for purposes of explanation and illustration, not limitation. The slide tray 100 also includes a plurality of apertures 108, which are aligned with the specimen 110 disposed on the slide 106. The apertures provide a path 112 through which light can pass. Thus, light can pass through the tray 100, the slide 106 and the specimen 110.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the tray 100 defines the recess 102 that approximates the shape and size of a slide 106, and has a slightly longer length, which contains the leaf spring retainer 104. The leaf spring retainer 104 is a thin, flat piece of plastic or metal that is curved and is capable of retaining a curved shape. One end of the leaf spring retainer 104 is connected to an inner surface of a tray 100 at a corner 114, with the retainer 104 extending along a shorter side 116 of the recess 102. The curved shape of the retainer 104 causes the middle of the retainer 104 to bulge outwardly towards the center of the recess 102.

When a slide 106 is inserted into the recess 102, as shown in FIG. 2B, the slide 106 depresses the retainer 104, thus forcing the retainer 104 from its initially curved shape and into a more linear compressed shape. The retainer 104 has a resiliency so that the curved portion of the retainer 104 presses against the side of the slide 106, thus securing the slide 106 in the recess 102 using friction.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, another embodiment of a tray 100 includes an actuator 122, which is a rigid “L” shaped member that is connected to the free end of retainer 104. The actuator 122 can be, for example, metal or plastic. The retainer 104 also has a resiliency and a curved shape o that it tends to retain a slightly curved shape, as shown in FIG. 4A. The retainer 104 is connected to an inner surface of a tray 100 at a corner 114, with the retainer 104 extending along a shorter side 116 of the recess 102, as described above.

When a slide 106 is inserted into the recess 102 with the retainer 104 in its uncompressed, slightly curved shape, there is a space 130 between the retainer 104 and the slide 106. When the actuator 122 is moved forward towards the corner 114 of the inner surface of the tray 100 where the retainer 104 is connected, as shown in FIG. 4B, the motion compresses the retainer 104, causing it to curve into the recess 102 and towards the slide 106, until it presses against the slide 106, thereby holding the slide 106 in the recess 102 using friction.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of actuators 122 are connected together so that one movement of the actuators 122 compresses a plurality of retainers 104. Also, an actuator lock 132 holds the actuators 122 in the forward position and the retainers 104 in the compressed state, until the actuator lock 132 is released. Alternatively, the actuators 122 and the retainers 104 to which they are attached can be activated by insertion of the tray 100 into a slide imaging system (not shown).

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, in another embodiment, the actuator 122 is a wedge 134 that is connected to the free end of the retainer 104. When an opposing wedge 136, connected to a cover 118, is lowered onto the wedge 134, the wedge 134 and the free end of the retainer 104 are moved towards the corner 114 of the recess 102 where the retainer 104 is connected. This motion compresses the retainer 104, causing it to curve into the recess 102 towards the slide 106 until it presses against the slide 106, holding the slide 106 in the recess 102 using friction. The retainers 104 are arrayed on the tray 100 in the two by ten pattern described above. The twenty actuators 122 on the tray 100 can be activated simultaneously by attaching, from above, a cover 118 with twenty opposing wedges 136 positioned thereon, as shown in FIG. 6.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that other retainers can be utilized. For example, referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, another embodiment of a retainer is a cover 118 with windows 120 positioned to maintain the light path 112 through a tray 100 when the cover 118 is applied to the tray 100. The windows 120 have slightly less length and width than a slide 106. The tray 100 defines recesses 102 having slightly less depth than the thickness of the slide 106. Because the window 120 is slightly smaller than the slide 106, closing the cover 118 holds the slide 106 in place in the recess 102 with a compression fit. The cover 118 and the tray 100 are connected with hinges 124 to ensure proper placement of the cover 118 on the tray 100 to define the light path 112.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, an embodiment of a slide imaging system 200 generally includes an enclosure 202, a light source 204, a movable precision stage 206, a slide tray 100 affixed to the stage 206 by a slide tray holder 208, and an optical element 210. The slide tray 100 may be one of the slide trays shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 6 and 7A-B.

Referring to FIGS. 10, 11A and 11B, the slide imaging system 200 also includes an alignment component 212, which interacts with an aligning projection 126 on a tray 100 to verify the alignment and orientation of the tray 100 in the system 200. The alignment component 212 is located on the stage 206 and includes a receiver 214 for the aligning projection 126, a spring loaded switch 216 inside of the receiver 214 and a breaker circuit 218. The spring loaded switch 216 is biased in the position where the switch does not complete the circuit 218, as shown in FIG. 11A. When the tray 100 is properly placed on the stage 206, the aligning projection 126 sits in the receiver 214 and depresses the switch 216, which compresses the spring and completes the circuit 218, as shown in FIG. 11B, thus allowing the slide imaging system 200 to operate. The top side of the tray 100 includes a receptacle 144, that receives the alignment projection 126 of a second tray when the second tray is stacked on top of the exemplary tray 100.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 10, the aligning projection 126 is asymmetrically disposed on the bottom of the tray 100. Therefore, if the tray is misaligned, as in FIG. 12A, the aligning projection 126 will not activate the switch 216 to complete the circuit 218 and activate the system 200. Similarly, if the tray is rotated 180 degrees or flipped upside down, the aligning projection 126 will not activate the switch 216, as shown in FIGS. 12B and 12C, respectively. In this way, the aligning projection 126 and alignment component 212 not only verify the alignment of the tray 100 in the system 200, but also the rotational orientation of the tray 100 relative to the system 200.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that other alignment components 212 can be utilized with the aligning projection 126 described above. For example, referring to FIG. 13, another embodiment of an alignment component 212 includes a light beam 220, which is broken by insertion of the aligning projection 126 into the receiver to activate the system 200.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that other alignment mechanisms can be utilized to verify the alignment and orientation of a tray 100 in an imaging system 200. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, an alternative embodiment of a tray 100 includes an aligning hole 128, and an alternative embodiment of an imaging system 200 includes a stage 206 with a spring loaded switch 216. When depressed, the switch 216 causes an alignment component 212 to disable the system 200 by completing a circuit 218. The aligning hole 128 allows the tray 100 to be placed on the stage 206 without depressing the spring loaded switch 216 and disabling the system 200. If the tray 100 is placed on the stage 206 and the aligning hole 128 is not aligned with the spring loaded switch 216, the circuit 218 will be completed and the system 200 will be disabled. In this way, the combination of the aligning hole 128 and the alignment component 212 with the spring loaded switch 216 verifies the alignment of the tray 100 in the system 200 and the rotational orientation of the tray 100 relative to the system 200 as described above.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a tray 100 can also include an aligning reflector 140, as shown in FIG. 15, which reflects a light beam from an alignment component 212 that is detected by an optical sensor 142 to activate the system 200.

Although various embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, it should be understood that the above description and figures are not intended to be limiting, and that the invention is defined only by the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. A tray for use with a slide imaging system, the tray comprising: a planar member, the planar member defining a recess for receiving a slide; a retainer; and an aligning member, wherein the retainer and the aligning member are both disposed on the planar member, the retainer secures the slide in the recess, and the aligning member enables verification of an alignment and an orientation of the planar member in the slide imaging system.
 2. The tray of claim 1, wherein the retainer is a leaf spring.
 3. The tray of claim 1, wherein the retainer is made from a resilient material.
 4. The tray of claim 1, wherein the retainer is a planar cover.
 5. The tray of claim 4, where the planar cover is configured to hold the slide on the planar member by compression.
 6. The tray of claim 1, wherein the retainer is manually engaged.
 7. The tray of claim 1, further comprising a cover, wherein the retainer is engaged by application of the cover to the planar member.
 8. The tray of claim 1, wherein the retainer is engaged by insertion of the planar member into the slide imaging system.
 9. The tray of claim 1, wherein the aligning member is asymmetrically disposed on the planar member.
 10. The tray of claim 1, wherein the aligning member is a reflective marking.
 11. The tray of claim 1, wherein the aligning member is a projection.
 12. The tray of claim 1, wherein the aligning member is a depression.
 13. The tray of claim 1, wherein the aligning member is configured to interact with the slide imaging system to verify the alignment and the orientation of the planar member.
 14. The tray of claim 1, wherein the aligning member is configured to interact with the slide imaging system to disable the slide imaging system if the slide imaging system cannot verify the alignment and the orientation of the planar member.
 15. The tray of claim 1, wherein the planar member defines an aperture, the aperture providing a path through which light can pass to a slide disposed on the planar member.
 16. The tray of claim 1, the planar member defining a receptacle for receiving an aligning member disposed on a second tray, the second tray being stacked on top of the tray.
 17. The tray of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of retainers that secure an associated plurality of slides into a respective plurality of recesses defined by the planar member.
 18. The tray of claim 17, further comprising an actuator that engages the plurality of retainers.
 19. A slide imaging system, comprising: a light source; a stage disposed adjacent to the light source; one or more optical elements disposed adjacent to the stage; a tray holder disposed on the stage; and a slide tray affixed to the stage by the tray holder, the tray including a planar member defining a recess for receiving a slide, a retainer, and an aligning member, wherein the retainer and the aligning member are both disposed on the planar member, the retainer secures the slide in the recess, and the aligning member enables verification of an alignment and an orientation of the planar member in the slide imaging system.
 20. The system of claim 19, further comprising an enclosure substantially surrounding the system.
 21. The system of claim 19, further comprising an alignment component that interacts with the aligning member to verify the alignment and the orientation of the slide tray on the stage.
 22. The system of claim 21, wherein the alignment component includes an optical sensor.
 23. The system of claim 21, wherein the alignment component includes a switch.
 24. The system of claim 23, wherein the switch is an electromechanical switch.
 25. The system of claim 21, wherein the alignment component includes a light beam projector.
 26. The system of claim 21, wherein the alignment component is configured to interact with the aligning member to disable the system if the system cannot verify the alignment and the orientation of the slide tray on the movable stage.
 27. A method of loading slides into an imaging system, comprising: loading slides into a tray; retaining the slides on the tray with a resilient retainer; loading the tray into the imaging system; and verifying an alignment and an orientation of the slide tray in the slide imaging system by placing an aligning member disposed on the tray in proximity to an alignment component disposed on the imaging system.
 28. The method of claim 27, further comprising disabling the system if the system cannot verify the alignment and the orientation of the tray in the imaging system. 